1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to industrial robots for manipulating liquid crystal display (LCD) panels, and especially to an LCD panel turning device used for an LCD panel repair system.
2. Description of Prior Art
An LCD panel is an important component of an LCD device. The cost of the LCD panel is higher than that of other components of the LCD device, such as a light guide plate, a frame or a light source. When a mass produced LCD panel is found to be defective, it is usually diverted for repair work in order to remedy the defects.
The LCD panel must be turned upside down, because the repair work can only be done from the back face of the LCD panel. To automatically turn over the LCD panel, an LCD panel turning device is used.
Referring to FIG. 6, a conventional LCD panel repair system 1 with a turning device is shown. The LCD panel repair system 1 comprises a loading unit 11, a first turning unit 12, a first transfer unit 13, a repair unit 14, a second transfer unit 15, a second turning unit 16, and an unloading unit 17. The above units are arranged side by side in the above sequence. The first turning unit 12 and the second turning unit 16 constitute the turning device of the LCD panel repair system 1.
The loading unit 11 is used to load an LCD panel (not shown) on the first turning unit 12 such that the front face of the LCD panel faces upwardly. Then the first turning unit 12 turns over the LCD panel, so that the back face of the LCD panel faces upwardly. The first transfer unit 13 transfers the inverted LCD panel to the repair unit 14. In the repair unit 14, the repair work on the LCD panel is performed. After the repair work is finished, the LCD panel is transferred to the second turning unit 16 by the second transfer unit 15. On the second turning unit 16, the LCD panel is turned over again. Finally, the unloading unit 17 unloads the LCD panel to a storage device (not shown), thereby completing the repair work of the LCD panel.
The LCD panel is processed along a linear path of the repair system 1, so that the repair system 1 can maintain a continuous run of successive LCD panels. However, this makes the repair system 1 unduly large. Each side of the repair unit 14 has the turning unit 12 or 14 and the transfer unit 13 or 15, in addition to the loading unit 11 and the unloading unit 17.
Thus, a new LCD panel turning device that overcomes the above-mentioned space disadvantages is desired.